National Republican., 1887-12-17

"Just wait awhile" was his wlie's re-
'"Ytu keep still," she added. "You are
simply doing escort duty; l am the shop
per.n
Wife his charming wife was examining
the corttnts OF various cases, Harry stood
hack on the lower step OF the stairs and
looked at the scene. How pretty did 1t
TEEN! Dolls, fans, jewelry, canes, umbrel-
lac, cloves, furs, leather goode, plush
goods, bandkerchiefs, and ten thousand ar
iicles for all uses-decoratlve or useful
were all around; suspended from the cell |
ing, covering the walls, crowding the |
shtlvCe, stacked on the counters presents, |
no,hirg but presents; richer in its contents |
than even the tabled Aladdin's cave did the |
Palais Royal appear to his eyes.
"'Gte goods viii be sent out in the morn
Ing" said The young lady of whom Mrs.
franklin had bought most OF her presents,
tnd then the loving couple made their way
to the street and were about to continue
down the avenue when Harry said:
Come over here, little woman; want
to show you something"
And together they cross.d the broad
thoroughfare and entered the store OF the
Smith Cycle Manufacturing Company.
"Mr. Childs," said Harry, addressing
the president Of the company, who was
seated at his desk, "this Is my wife," and,
he continued, as Mr.. Cbilds smiled aud
bowed, "I want you to show her that
beautiful tandem machine was looking at
ytsterday.n
With a mysterious look on his vlsage Mr.
Cbilds complied with the request, and out
in the center Of the outer Office stood the
machine asked for. 1t was a beauty per-
feet In every respect, aud finished In the
most minute particular. How IL was ad-
mirCd by everybody and praised by the
salesman; until at last Mrs. franklin was
compelled to say that she wished 1t was
hers
"Itis, DEAR" said her husband; "that's
your Christmas present. How do you
| like it?r
OF course she couldn't express her
thanks-not before those strangers-but
s. G looked them, and Harry continued:
Now we can go out every fine day aud
take nice ride together. m going to sell
| tie extra horse, for we shan't have much
use for the team, except, OF course, when
you want 1t to go shopping with or to drive
out during the day with somebody. This"
touching new "Dart" safety bicycle, sis
mine; Pm going in for lots of exercise, and
| when we cannot go out on the tandem then
| I'll take spin slonen
"You'll please send them up In the morn
| ing," said he to the salesman, and that gen.
tleman nodded assent, and as his customers
were leaving the store eaid, "lf you want
nice bicycle or trycicle for the children VIC
| u
ter anywhere south OF New York." but the
only response he received was a laughing
shake OF the head from Harry and tiny
blushlDg smile from bis wife.
w"w
"Fspa, we're just like q pair OF conspira
tors; we're afraid somebody will see us or
hear us, aud then all our plans will be
spoiled. It's real nice, though, to have
sure enough secret"
The speaker was q girl OF about lG years
Of age, and a jollier one never lived She
was Of medium height with soft brown
hair ard dark eyes Of the same hue, and
was ossessed OF disposition to love every
body and everything. Clad in warm,
closely. lifting garnet dress, Kitty Rivers
was model FOR any artist who desired to
place on canvass a picture OF 'Sweet Six
teen"
Her father, elderly and gray haired, had
Just returned home after an excursion down
versstion In the hall so that none but them
selves might know the secret to which
Kitty had referred
"Did you buy IT," she asked.
eyes, little one. ! bought it."
"Andyou think it's real nice?"
"Yes.n
won't mamma be pleased, though. She
hasn't any idea that you are going to give
her . sewing machine, although she needs
one, because the old one Is pretty well used
up. What kind did you getH she contln-
ued.
--@aWe)L,Lwspt iptl bali ~ (dl9qszysa fsNGS
descriptions Of machine and no one Of them
took my fancy or impressed me with its real
worth so effectually as the Silent White
MGChiIe.n
"Qb! know, that's the machine Mr.,
McKenney sells.n
:. "Yes; but listen; here II comes,n and he
softly opened the front door and watched a
man lift the beautiful Christmas present out
OF the wagon and then helped him carry 1t
up the steps and put it down In the hall.
'lps the same place" said Kitty, looking
at the tag, ''427 Ninth street. That's where
buy the "Universal Patterns" -"
lsThe wrappings that covered the machine
were speedily removed, and just as that
J operation was finished u door on the floor
above was opened and Mrs. Rivers called
out, "What are you people doing down
, than ten minutes a!o, and"-here she came
quickly down the stairs-"I declare be
hasn't his hat or ovefcoat off yet" Then
her eyes fell upon the machine, and by
intuition she knew 1t was for her.
"Ob, you dear old husband" she said
show dare you to buy me such beautiful
present." and she gave him one Of those
r kisses that was the sweeter for the twenty
years OF married life that had blessed the
! couple.
7 "That isn't SO much OF Christmas
present." said Mr.. Rivers, as he deliberately
got out OF his overcoat "You ought to
see the magnificent Estey organ that Mr..
Hamilton bought for his wife. don't
know how much 1t cost, but 1t is perfect
beauty. There is no gingerbread about 1t;
it's solid goods, and far more reasonable
in price than the organs made OF poor ma
terial by inferior firms. l was in his
house about an hour ago aud 1t had just
| a,,1 Nfn lao a1. -
: crazy with delight, but she gradually got
herself sufficiently under control to sit
down and play a few tunes, so that we
might Judge OF the power aud tone of the
Instrument. She says there isn't 6
dummy stop in it. Oh, it's beauty,
tell you"
"By the way, old lady, he continued
81 met two poor starved little youngsters
down on New York avenue tonight, aud
l the little wretches looked so miserable tina
| took them into Magruder's grocery store
and gave them enough to last them I'll
: morning. Right, wasn't lt?"
!, ~
I "halloo,n exclaimed Mr.. Franklin, a
! they arrived at their door, whats this
4 Well, / declare; irs some poor boy, almos
I frozen to DEATH" and he shook the laC
!. vigorously, but no sign came from the COLI
=. form.
+ Very speedily was the door opened, ant
: In few seconds the boy was on the ole
a carved oaken bench In the warm hall, wher,
/ the gaslight had its cheerful CLEANS re
n fected In the mirror that stood above th,
q pent roof which surmounted the old. fash
e ionGd 'ingle.neuk," In which laid th,
n andirons and other accompaniments OF
G fireplace In the good old baronIal days.
ltwas work Of time, but after the doc
v ter WHO had been hastily summoned, ant
Mr.. franklin had labored without cessation
4 for almost an hour, the patient began Il